The public accounts select committee (PAC) has written to the Treasury and the Crown Estate demanding an explanation for the 'peppercorn' rent paid by Prince Andrew for his residence at Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park. The move comes after renewed controversy over the Duke of York's links to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Prince Andrew has leased the 30-room property from the Crown Estate since 2003, after making a one-off payment of £1 million for a 75-year lease. He has since spent £7.5 million on refurbishments. The lease stipulates a 'peppercorn' rent, a legal term indicating a nominal amount, often as low as £1 per year, to maintain the lease's validity.
In a letter published on Wednesday, PAC chairman Geoffrey Clifton-Brown stated: 'There is considerable and understandable public interest in the spending of public money in relation to Prince Andrew, which in part stems from the fact that he is no longer a working royal and from serious and disturbing allegations made against him.' The committee has requested details on the lease's rationale and whether any refurbishment costs were taxpayer-funded.
The inquiry follows fresh allegations in the posthumous memoir of Virginia Giuffre, who claimed she had sex with Prince Andrew on three occasions—allegations he has denied. The committee also questioned whether the current tenancy remains the most appropriate use of Royal Lodge given Andrew's changed role, and whether it achieves best value for money compared to other potential uses or disposal of the property.
Prince Andrew is reportedly in talks with representatives of King Charles about voluntarily leaving the property. If forced out, the Crown Estate may have to pay him compensation. A Treasury spokesperson said: 'The Crown Estate is an organisation independent of both the government and the monarch. We will respond to Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown in due course.'
